Wonder What Happened to Julia Reed?

Julia Reed, to those of you who are veterans of American cable news shows, is a Vogue senior editor, and champion of all things Mississippi.

She comes from hearty stock in Greenville, the heart of the Mississippi Delta.

Greenville residents, which include her family for generations, have endured hurricanes, heat, fires, rains, tornadoes, ice storms, and a small event known as the US Civil War.

I wonder, if like Brett Favre’s family, they had to go up their attic, and wonder about Julia, who has the misfortune of having chosen to live in New Orleans.

I knew about Julia Reed anecdotally from friends in New York City.

She shares her time there and in New Orleans, but because she is such a Southerner, with her husky-voiced Southern twang which must stick out a mile in those Upper East side salons, and her much beloved charm and wit, so redolent of her home state, she must be in great demand in NYC.

What now, I wonder?

Will she go back to New Orleans, or just stick to NYC?

I think this momentous decision is one many people from the area are faced with today.

But I do know one thing.

She may well leave New Orleans, but her kinfolk will never leave Mississippi.

Some things not even a hurricane can take from you.

READ JULIA REED’S BOOK: Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena.

UPDATE WEDNESDAY 7 SEPT: Julia Reed is alive, well, and safe in her parent’s home in Greenville, MS! I noticed a hit counter referral to my site, and checked out the links. In one of them, I saw that she had been interviewed on the embattled Air America Radio’s Al Franken Show, subbed though he was last week, by Rachel Maddow. Now Julia Reed, from what I’ve heard from her previous on-air TV commentaries, is hardly a Republican. In fact, I would not hesitate to say she tilts left politically, and perhaps that’s why Air America thought they would have her on air on Friday, 2 September, being a New Orleans/Mississippi resident and all. I’m sure they thought she would tow what has become the MSM Party Line of “Blame Bush! Blame Often! Don’t Stop Blaming!”. Boy, they must’ve been livid at her for assigning blame first, foremost, and often to Governor Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana, and ESPECIALLY to Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans. She absolutely ripped him apart for his lackadaisical remarks before the levees broke on Tuesday. As much as Rachel Maddow tried to steer back the conversation to assign blame on the Federal response, Julia Reed would have none of it. She said she found it “terrifying” that they were in charge, and couldn’t believe Blanco was her governor, who just threw up her hands asking people to pray for Louisiana, instead of asking them to pray, which is fine, but also doing a million and one other things a governor of a State is supposed to do. And as far as Ray Nagin’s chances for re-election are concerned, she said they are nil. That’s when Rachel Maddow put on Nagin’s expletive-laden outburst which made did the rounds of all MSM outlets gleefully. Poor old Julia Reed — she didn’t get the segue, and just ripped him apart again for throwing a hissy fit AFTER his lame, lack of leadership “un-Giuliani” comments on air on Monday, when the storm first broke. Rachel Maddow desperately tried to get the conversation back to the Federal, by bringing up Speaker of the House Denny Hastert’s comments about not rebuilding New Orleans, which Reed fully agreed were ridiculous and defeatist (as do I), but the damage was done. Someone didn’t get the Blame Bush memo. She didn’t say what she did because she was being Right or Left. She said it because, using that famous Southern habit of calling it as you see it, that’s how she perceives the truth to be. Here is the mp3 clip of Reed’s lapsus lingua on ARR. Scroll to minute 77:00 until minute 88:00. Julia, on the off-chance you’re reading this one day, good on you. I just hope you get invited back to those Upper East Side salons. You might have some ‘splaining to do.

Statins, other drugs can cause muscle tightness

Readers, this is your day! Or at least your column. Thanks for sending in great questions. Here are a few.

Q I am not very flexible and take statin drugs to control cholesterol. It seems they make my muscles even tighter. Is there anything I can do to become more flexible? Stretching doesn’t make much difference.

A Yours is a common problem. Some patients using asthma drugs, cholesterol-busting statins and even some antibiotics have been known to complain about muscle tightness as a side effect. Some get foot or leg cramps. Others get back spasms. Know this: Medicines can have an effect on flexibility. It’s not in your head.

Along with some medications, beware of other culprits, such as coffee, tea, soda and other caffeinated beverages. They can lead to dehydration, which can cause muscle cramping and soreness, too. So boost your water intake and cut the caffeine for some relief. Ask your doctor if supplements might help and at what dosages. Some people have gotten relief from tight muscles by taking two parts calcium to one part magnesium. Some take them at bedtime to prevent night cramps. Ask your doctor before trying anything new.

You could also try warm Epsom salt baths. Epsom salt’s key ingredient is magnesium, and adding it to bath water generally helps relax achy muscles without your ingesting anything. After bathing, stretch your muscles for 30 seconds each while they are still nice and warm. Ideally, you’ll be saying “Ahhhh” instead of “Ow!”

Q You once wrote that triceps arm muscles can wobble like a turkey’s neck. Well, what about our turkey necks? Can we do anything to tighten our jiggly throats?